The invention relates to a multi-function cycling shoe of the type having a fixing device for a pedal attachment device.
In the field of cycling, there is a known way of producing a shoe whose sole is provided with a fixing device for receiving various cleats so that the user can adapt any pedal attachment of his choice to the same shoe. It is also known that various sports within the field of cycling, for example road racing, off-road cycling (mountain biking) and indoor training (spinning) require entirely different soles and/or cleats.
For example, for road or track cycling use is made of shoes of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,158, with substantially flat soles having no projections, to the underside of which a cleat of a certain size is fixed; for cycling on unmade roads, shoes of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,173 are used, with “clawed” soles, provided with a pair of projections of predetermined thickness running laterally and standing out above the cleat fixing device to form a recess to protect the device and the cleat from impact with the ground; while, for indoor training, shoes with essentially flat rigid soles, without any special projections or cleats, are used.
It is therefore necessary to provide, for a single model of shoe, different versions which are substantially identical in respect of their uppers, but which differ in respect of the soles used.
This prior art creates considerable difficulties both for the cyclist, who has to purchase different shoes which are only really differentiated by a short portion of the sole, and for the manufacturer, who has to produce and stock a plurality of versions of the same model of shoe to meet the different requirements of cyclists.